Absorbent article having a topsheet that includes selectively openable and closable openings

Abstract

An absorbent article adapted to be worn about the lower torso of a wearer. The article includes a liquid-impervious, flexible backsheet adapted to face outwardly relative to the body a wearer, a liquid-pervious topsheet adapted to face the body of the wearer, and an absorbent core positioned between the backsheet and the topsheet. The topsheet is preferably elastically extensible and includes a plurality of slits or cuts that extend through the topsheet material and that enlarge to define a plurality of openings in the topsheet when it is subjected to tensile forces as it is worn. The openings permit solid and semi-solid bodily exudates to pass through the topsheet to the absorbent core as the diaper is worn. Upon removal of the diaper from the body of the wearer the tensile forces within the topsheet are relaxed, thereby causing the openings in the topsheet to close and substantially conceal from view the bodily exudates that have passed through the topsheet.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An absorbent article adapted to be worn adjacent the lower torso of a wearer for receiving and retaining bodily exudates, the absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair of end edges, said absorbent article comprising: 
       a. a liquid impervious, backsheet having an outer, garment-facing surface and an inner, body-facing surface;  
       b. an absorbent core having a shape to enable the core to be placed adjacent the body of a wearer and having the capacity of absorbing liquids;  
       c. a flexible, liquid-pervious topsheet overlying the absorbent core, the topsheet including a plurality of spaced discontinuities disposed over at least a portion of the absorbent core, the spaced discontinuities are substantially closed when the topsheet is in an untensioned condition and are open to define a plurality of spaced openings extending through the topsheet when the topsheet is subjected to tension, to enable solid and semi-solid body exudates to pass through the topsheet; and  
       d. a storage element disposed between at least a portion of the topsheet and at least a portion of the absorbent core for receiving the bodily exudates.  
     
     
       2. An absorbent article in accordance with claim  1 , wherein the article includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region, and wherein the discontinuities are disposed adjacent at least a portion of the storage element. 
     
     
       3. The absorbent article of claim  1  wherein the storage element spaces the topsheet from the absorbent core. 
     
     
       4. The absorbent article of claim  1  further including a spacing member disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet which provides a cavity between at least a portion of the topsheet and the absorbent core for receiving bodily exudates. 
     
     
       5. The absorbent article of claim  1  wherein the backsheet has a length or width greater than the length or width, respectively, of the topsheet such that when the topsheet and the backsheet are joined together a cavity is formed between the topsheet and the storage element. 
     
     
       6. The absorbent article of claim  1 , wherein the discontinuities are cuts that extend through the topsheet. 
     
     
       7. The absorbent article of claim  6 , wherein at least some of the cuts are rectilinear and/or curvilinear. 
     
     
       8. The absorbent article of claim  6 , wherein the cuts are disposed in a plurality of spaced, substantially aligned columns, staggered columns or are generally randomly disposed throughout at least a portion of the topsheet. 
     
     
       9. The absorbent article of claim  1 , wherein the topsheet is elastically extensible. 
     
     
       10. The absorbent article of claim  1 , wherein the topsheet is inelastically extensible. 
     
     
       11. The absorbent article of claim  1 , wherein the backsheet is elastically extensible. 
     
     
       12. The absorbent article of claim  1  wherein the backsheet is substantially inextensible. 
     
     
       13. The absorbent article of claim  1 , wherein the article includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, and a crotch region, and wherein the discontinuities are disposed in at least the crotch region of the absorbent article. 
     
     
       14. The absorbent article of claim  1  wherein the storage element includes a material selected from the following group: large cell open foams, macro-porous compression resistant nonwoven highlofts, large size particulate foams of open and closed cell foams, highloft nonwovens, polyolefin, polystyrene, polyurethane foams or particles, structures comprising a multiplicity of vertically oriented looped strands of fibers, and absorbent core structures having punched holes or depressions. 
     
     
       15. The absorbent article of claim  1  wherein at least a portion of the topsheet has an effective open area of greater than or equal to about 15%. 
     
     
       16. The absorbent article of claim  1  wherein the absorbent core is slit such that it can expand to form openings in the core for receiving fecal matter. 
     
     
       17. An absorbent article adapted to be worn adjacent the lower torso of a wearer for receiving and retaining bodily exudates, the absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair of end edges, said absorbent article comprising: 
       a. a liquid impervious, backsheet having an outer, garment-facing surface and an inner, body-facing surface;  
       b. a flexible, liquid-pervious topsheet overlying an absorbent core, the topsheet including a plurality of spaced discontinuities disposed over at least a portion of the absorbent core, the spaced discontinuities are substantially closed when the topsheet is in an untensioned condition and are open to define a plurality of spaced openings extending through the topsheet when the topsheet is subjected to tension, to enable solid and semi-solid body exudates to pass through the topsheet; and  
       d. a storage element disposed between at least a portion of the topsheet and at least a portion of the absorbent core for receiving the bodily exudates, the storage element including a multiplicity of macro-particulate elements.  
     
     
       18. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the macro-particulate elements have a nominal size of between about 1.0 mm and about 25.4 mm. 
     
     
       19. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein at least some of the macro-particulate elements are absorbent. 
     
     
       20. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein at least some of the macro-particulate elements are non-absorbent. 
     
     
       21. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein at least some of the macro-particulate elements are microporous. 
     
     
       22. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein at least some of the macro-particulate elements are resilient. 
     
     
       23. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the storage element includes a support associated with at least some of the macro-particulate elements, the support selected from the following group: a glue, a web, a netting, a scrim, a thread. 
     
     
       24. The absorbent article of claim  17  including a mixture of different macro-particulate elements. 
     
     
       25. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the storage element includes more than one layer of macro-particulate elements. 
     
     
       26. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the storage element has an original thickness measured in the absence of a compressive force and the storage element is capable of maintaining at least about 35% of the original thickness when subjected to a compressive force of 1 psi. 
     
     
       27. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the storage element is capable of maintaining at least about 50% of the original thickness when subjected to a compressive force of 1 psi. 
     
     
       28. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the backsheet has a length or width greater than the length or width, respectively of the topsheet such that when the topsheet and the backsheet are joined together a cavity is formed between the topsheet and the storage element. 
     
     
       29. The absorbent article of claim  17  further including a spacing member disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet which provides a cavity between at least a portion of the topsheet and the absorbent core for receiving bodily exudates. 
     
     
       30. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein the storage element spaces the topsheet from the absorbent core. 
     
     
       31. The absorbent article of claim  17  wherein at least a portion of the topsheet has an effective open area of greater than or equal to about 15%. 
     
     
       32. An absorbent article adapted to be worn adjacent the lower torso of a wearer for receiving and retaining bodily exudates, the absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair of end edges, said absorbent article comprising: 
       a. a liquid impervious, backsheet having an outer, garment-facing surface and an inner, body-facing surface;  
       b. an elastically extensible, liquid-pervious topsheet overlying an absorbent core, the topsheet including a plurality of spaced discontinuities that are substantially closed when the topsheet is in an untensioned condition and that are open to define a plurality of spaced openings extending through the topsheet when the topsheet is subjected to tension, to enable solid and semi-solid body exudates to pass through the topsheet; and  
       d. a storage element disposed between at least a portion of the topsheet and at least a portion of the absorbent core for receiving the bodily exudates, the storage element including a multiplicity of macro-particulate elements.  
     
     
       33. The absorbent article of claim  32  wherein the macro-particulate elements have a nominal size of between about 1.0 mm and about 25.4 mm. 
     
     
       34. The absorbent article of claim  32  wherein the storage element includes a support associated with at least some of the macro-particulate elements, the support selected from the following group: a glue, a web, a netting, a scrim, a thread. 
     
     
       35. The absorbent article of claim  32  wherein the backsheet has a length or width greater than the length or width, respectively, of the topsheet such that when the topsheet and the backsheet are joined together a cavity is formed between the topsheet and the storage element.